Humidifying system



July 4,1933. A. F. WRIGHT 1,916,455

HUMIDIFYING SYSTEM Filed Feb. 9, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 sal/k fsijsanINVENTOR,

ATTORNEY,

July 4, 1933. A. F. WRIGHT' 1,916,455

HUMIDIFYING SYSTEM INVENTOR ATTORNEY.

Patented July 4, 1933 PATENT OFFICE ARCBIBALD F. WRIGHT, OF SOUTHORANGE, NEW JERSEY HUMIDIFYING SYSTEM Application filed February 9,1929.Serial No. 338,808.

This invention is a system for humidifying materials of various kinds,and the objectis to utilize steam from any available source of steamsupply whereby the thermal units are reduced, with the result that awater vapor at a temperature suited to the product is made available byan economical mode of procedure.

v It is desirable in many arts to subject mal1) terial to the action ofa water vapor in order to improve the condition of theproduct by theaddition of moisture. One example. is in the shoe making art, whereinshoe uppers'are humidified or mulled for conditioning-the leather tobetter adapt it for the operations subsequently to be performed. Otherexamples are in the textile art, the paper making art, tobacco, andnumerous other prod- ,ucts. 7

Generally, steam aflt'ords the moisture required for humidification, butas is well known, steam is water vapor accompanied by thermal units (B.t. u.), the presence of the total of which is or may be undesirable inthe treatment of-the product because of an injurious 'efiect thereon.

According to my invention, steam is partially dethermalized, therebyproducing a water vapor at a lower temperature than the steam, and suchpartially dethermalized water vapor is used, either directly or bymixing'it with air or other gas, by exposing the products to the accessof such dethermalized water vapor.

The steam is obtained from any source of available supply, such as apipe line in a factory, or from a steam generator of one form oranother. The steam flows within a dethermalizing unit, usually in theform of a chamber, within which the partial dethermalizing operation isconducted. The

dethermalizing step is performed by the agency of air, water, or otheragents, and in some instances I may use air alone, or'water alone, orthe air and water may be used conjointly.

In a practical form of dethermalizing unit,-

I provide a series of air tubes extending through the steam chamber, andI'provide,

' als0,"a series of water baflies positioned within the chainberintermediate the steam inlet and the outlet for the dethermalized waterVapor. Provision is made for the circulation of air through the tubes,and for the circulation of water within the water baflies, said tubesand said baffles being composed usually of metal, such'as copper,possessing of the section being indicated by the dotted line 22 ofFigure 3. 7

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken at a right angle to Figure 2, andabout on the plane indicated by the dotted line 3-3 of- Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a detailed view.

The apparatus ,embodies two chief elements which, for convenience, aredesignated as a dethermalizing unit A, and a product unit B,operatively. connected by a duct or conduit O, wherein the partiallydethermalizedwater vapor flows from unit A to unit B.

The unit A is provided with means of one form or another for partiallyeliminating thermal units from steam. It is well 'known that steam froman available source of supply is a water vapor containing thermal units(B. t. u.) but as the presence of excessive heat in the water vapor does'or may have an undesirable or iIlJllIiOllS elfect on the material to behumidified. My invention of the dethermalizing unit reduces the thermalunits present in the steam so as to obtain a water vapor the temperatureof which is suited to the product to be treated. Accordingly, theapparatus or dethermalizing unit A is constructed with means forabsorbing from the steam a proportion of the thermal units. Preferably,the apparatus A is equipped with means within the steam chamber for thecirculation of air through it, so as to absorb a 109 proportion of thethermal units present in the steam. Furthermore, said apparatus A isprovided with baflles within which is set up a flow of water or otherliquid adapted to also absorb thermal units from the steam, as a resultof which a proportion of the thermal units present in the steam areeliminated or carried off by the flowing air and the flowing liquid, andthus the temperature of the steam is reduced, resulting in a water vaporthe temperature of which is suited to the product.

The apparatus A includes in its construction a casing or housing D,which is, in one form, composed of double walls for insulating purposes,the interior wall being preferably composed of an appropriatenon-corrosive metal, such as copper. Near the bottom of the housing D isa horizontal partition E, spaced relatively to the bottom, and producingan air chamber F.

Extending vertically through the steam chamber of the housing D, is aseries of tubes G. These tubes are joined in a suitable way at theirlower ends to the partition E for the tubes G to communicate with theair chamber F, and at their upper ends these air cooling tubes extendthrough the top of the housing D so as to discharge heated air from thechamber; or, if desired, these tubes G at their upper ends may beconnected by duct g for carrying the air outside of the room. The tubesG are composed of metal, such as copper, possessing high heatconductivity, and said tubes function as means for absorbing heat fromthe steam present in the chamber of the housing.

Means are provided for the circulation of air within the tubes G as ameans for cooling the tubes interiorly thereof. As shown, a blower H isprovided adjacent the apparatus A, and from this blower leads conduit h,connected to the chamber F, whereby the blower delivers air at adetermined velocity, and in a desirable volume, to the chamber F, whichin turn distributes the air into the series of tubes G so that the airflows through the steam chamber without having any communication withthe steam space, the efi'ect of which is to cool the tubes G and tocarry off the thermal units absorbed by the tubes from the steam.

Steam is supplied to the chamber of apparatus A from any availablesource, such as a steam line or pipe I, shown in Figure 1, or from steamgenerator J shown in Figure 2, said steam generator being of anydesirable character. The steam line I is connected to the housing D forcommunication directly with the lower part of the steam chamber.

The steam line I is connected to. one part of the housing D, whereas theduct or conduit C is connected to another part of the housing, the twoconnections I, C, being distant one from the other so that the steamwill flow through the steam chamber from the intake I to the outlet C.

The flow of steam within the steam chamher is baffled, and it ispreferred to use baflies K positioned in alternate or staggered orderwithin the steam chamber, as a result of which the steam or Water vaporwill flow ack and forth within the chamber in a g-zag, or circuitous,path. The bafiies K re of hollow or chambered formation, and saidbafiies are composed of metal having a high heat conductivity, such ascopper. Any suitable cooling fluid is admitted, and, as shown, an intakepipe L is connected to the uppermost baflle, whereas an outlet pipe L isconnected to the lower baflie of the series, but intermediate thebafiies are other pipes, L so arranged as to provide for the flow ofwater through the baffles of the series.

The deprivation of the thermal units from the water vapor is attended bycondensation of water, which is free to flow over the batfles and thetubes so as to collect on the partition E, and from this partition thewater of condensation is discharged through an appropriate trap, orthrough other devices, known in the art as bleeders.

The products chamber B is of any desirable construction for containingthe products to be treated by the dethermalized water vapor admitted tothe apparatus B by the duct C. As shown, the products room B is providedwith a plurality of compartments at the bottom of which is flue Mcommunicating directly with the duct C. The water vapor passes from thechamber M into the compartments, or either of them, within theapparatusB. If desired, the flow of the water vapor into one compartment may becontrolled by damper m, whereas the flow of water vapor into theother'compartment is controlled by damper m, see Figure 1. The watervapor fills the compartment of the apparatus B within which the productsare supported in any suitable way so as to expose them to the access ofthe water vapor, whereby the product is humidified by taking up moisturefrom the water vapor. The vapor flows out of the compartment throughexit pipes 0, 0', connected with a duct 0, and it may be desirable toexhaust the water vapor from the compartments of the apparatus B, forwhich purpose I provide an exhaust fan P, the action of which is for inQlucing the flow through said apparatus of the partially dethermalizedwater vapor, or for exhausting a mixture of air and water vapor, asnecessary for proper circulation and/or replenishment.

In some instances the products chamber, or apparatus B, is in a closerelation to the dethermalizing unit, or apparatus A; but in otherinstances, the apparatus B may be more or less remote to, or distantfrom, the dethermalizing apparatus A. In this latter event,

it becomes desirable to provide for the admission to the duct C of airacting as a carrier for the water vapor, and in Figure 3 of thedrawings, I have illustrated a suitable arrangement for controlling theadmission of air to the duct 0. As shown in Figure 4, the

duct C is provided with a fresh air intake Q,

having a check valve, 9, and in the service of the apparatus the actionof the exit fan P induces the flow of the water vapor from the unit Athrough the duct 0 into the products chamber B, and at the same timedraws in a proportion of atmospheric airthrough the air intake Q,whereby air admitted by the intake is mixed with the water vapor so asto act as a carrier for the water vapor in the space between theapparatus A and the products chamber B.

It is possible that it may become desirable to force airinto the duct 0,and in this event I provide a blower R connected with the intake Q so asto induce the forced circulation of air into the duct 0 for carrying thewater vapor to the products chamber.

Means are provided for stopping. or controlling the flow of steam to thedethermalizing unit should the temperature within the products chamberexceed that temperature desirable for the products, to thus overcome toohigh a temperature in the products chamber. Said means is desirably inthe form of a valve T in the steam line I, and a thermostat T in theproducts chamber, said valve and said thermostat being operativelyconnected by an appropriate circuit to the end that an increasedtemperature in the products chamber influences the thermostat and closesthe steam valve temporarily, there being an intermittent action of thethermostat .and the valve to the end that the steam flow is controlledfor the cooling mechanism of the dethermalizing unit to reduce thetemperature of the water vapor, supplied to the products chamber.

Having thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is: I

,1. In a humidifying apparatus, a products chamber, a steamdethermalizing chamber, a duct connecting said chambers, and means forthe inflow of air to the duct for admixture with the partiallydethermalized water vapor.

2. In a humidifying apparatus, a products chamber, a steamdethermalizing chamber, a duct for connecting said chambers, and

means for exhausting water vapor from the products chamber and forinducing the inflow of air to the duct, or for exhausting a mixture ofair and water vapor, as necessary for proper circulation and/orreplenishment.

3. The method of conditioning leather,

fabrics, tobacco or the like, which comprises subjecting steam to adethermalizing operation to reduce the temperature thereof, mixing asmall amount of air with a relatively large volume of the cooled steam,and then conducting the mixture to a chamber for humidifying theatmosphere therein.

4. The method of conditioning leather, fabrics, tobacco or the like,which comprises subjecting steam to a dethermalizing operation to reducethe temperature thereof, adding a small amount of outside air and mixingit with the cooled steam, and then causing the mixture to enter achamber for humidifying the air therein.

5. The method of conditioning leather, fabrics, tobacco or the like,which comprises subjecting steam to a dethermalizing operation to reducethe temperature thereof, adding air to the system and mixing it with thecooled steam, and then conducting the mixture into a chamber forhumidifying'the air therein.

I 6. In a device of the character described, a products chamber, a steamdethermalizing chamber, a conduit connecting said chambers, meanspermitting the inflow of air to said conduit for admixture with thepartially dethermalized water vapor, and means for preventingthe'temperature from exceeding a predetermined limit in said productscham- 7. In a device of the character described, a products chamber, asteam dethermalizing chamber, a conduit connecting said chambers, meanspermitting the inflow of air to said conduit for admixturewith thepartially dethermalized steam, and thermostatic means for automaticallyregulating the flow of steam to said dethermalizing chamber.

8. In a device of the character described,

a products chamber, a steam dethermalizing prevent the temperature fromexceeding a.

predetermined limit in the humidifying chamber.

10. The method of conditioning leather, fabrics, tobacco, or the like,which comprises, subjecting steam to a dethermalizing operation toreduce the temperature thereof and then conducting the dethermalizedsteam to a chamber for humidifying the atmosphere therein.

11. The method of conditioning leather, fabrics, tobacco, or the like,which comprises, subjectlng steam to a dethermalizing operaphere.

13. The method of conditioning leather, fabrics, tobacco, or the like,which comprises, subjecting steam to a dethermalizing operation toreduce the temperature thereof, mixing a small amount of air therewithto act as a carrier so that a relatively large volume of dethermalizedsteam is utilized and a high humidity at a reduced temperature ensured,conducting the dethermalized steam with its carrier to a productschamber for humidifying the atmosphere therein with substantially nosurface condensation in the products chamber.

In testimony whereof I have hereto signed my name this 30th day ofJanuary, 1929.

ARCHIBALD F. WRIGHT.

